The Perfect Flaw
by Echeziel
Summary: /Life as a gypsy isn't all that it's cut out to be. Honestly, who thought that preposterous idea of an easy life up?/ UNDER RECONSTRUCTION.
1. Chapter 1

I blew into the reed as I stared into the snake's eyes. They flashed dangerously, and as I moved, so did the deadly serpent. He moved with a certain languid grace that any snake charmer/belly dancer/story teller/secret sorceress/psychic/gypsy such as I could respect. He was, of course, predatory in his movements, but most carnivorous animals were. I gave him the respect due for his greatness, in turn, he gave me mine. He, his race, and the whole Animal Kingdom would always be superior to us lowly humans; we dirty filth that gradually murder the wonderful, thriving earth of Mother Nature around us. I am ashamed to be called human, ashamed that that was what I am.

I watched as his scales danced in the firelight reflecting off of them, the writhing firelight setting up the ethereal beauty that he truly held. I blew into the instrument and moved my fingers, creating a type of music that was the slightly off-key in the Music of Life, as he moved in the eternal Dance of Life; predatory, peaceful, and dangerous. I truly did not understand why people killed and harmed his kind, let alone feared them. Our own species was much more dangerous than his could ever be.

My eyes picked out our audience; a brunette who dressed in rich green and a blue-haired fellow dressed in black. They sat on our finest cushions, drinking our finest wine; nothing less for two kings of different human kingdoms. Their servants and entourage were behind them, enjoying the sight of our small group but keeping a courteous distance from their respective kings. It was disgusting, I thought, that they always expected the greatest luxuries in their life just because they had a golden crown on their head.

I closed my eyes, giving in to the music pounded into the air.

_Dum. Dum, da dum, dum_, my best friend on the drums. I pictured her in her loose sky-blue, navy, and dark purple garments, smiling flirtatiously at the two men who were our audience for the night. Her blond hair would be in its usual ponytail; her ice-colored eyes dancing in the firelight. Her loose sleeves would flap slightly in the gentle breeze as she beat the rhythm on the drums.

_Fwoooo, fwoooo_, the dark-haired woman of the bunch, blowing softly into her wooden flute, accompanying the two other instruments played by myself and the blond. Her silvery/purple pupil-less eyes would gleam slightly in the firelight, though they could are more likely to be closed in concentration than open.

The brunette and sandy-blond haired women of our group would be dressed in their respective colors of white-and-crimson and dark purple-and-crimson. They would have their normal dancing outfits on; tops only covering their breasts and tops of their shoulders, loose pants that came to just above their ankle, and their chosen satchels, belts, and scarves with beads and coins and bits of metal sewn onto them. They would move their bodies in a certain way, capture their audience with their eyes, and dance like no one else. Their spectators were captured the moment they laid eyes on the performers. Their viewers were their prey.

I inwardly sighed; I had seen it all before. The two men would ask the dancing women to their private carriages, the women would refuse, and the men would pay for their performance, thank them for their hospitality, and then leave or ask if we had any spare room for the night. Pompous bastards.

I continued to play, despite the varied thoughts and images echoing in my mind.

The beat of the drum grew faster, the flute began to whistle like the howling wind, my own instrument began to play faster, as well. The two females that were currently dancing in our group began to twirl and whirl faster. As the beat quickened evermore, the two began to dance together, their bodies seeming one, as we were trained to do so. If the audience had not been captivated before, they sure as hell would now.

I let my body and mind relax as my instincts did the playing. After a short time of picturing the serpent's beady black eyes that danced in the firelight, I was inside his mind.

'_Who are you?_' he hissed in curiosity/mild fright.

'Jnarnel' I mind-whispered back. Animal-tongue-human, it meant in actual animal tongue.

'_I see. No need for _that_ language. Our minds speak as one_' his mind answered. Ah; an older snake, probably more experienced in the ways of life.

'_What is your Human name?_' he asked. It was proper that he speak first; after all, _I_ had invaded _his _mind, so that granted him courtesy.

'Blossom' I replied.

He mind-hissed in response.

'_That_ _is your _performer_ name! I want your _true_ name, Human!'_

I withdrew from his mind immediately. True names were things you did _not_ tell _anyone_, if you even knew your own. It was dangerous to know your own true Name, as once someone or something, animal or human, got hold of it they had complete control over you. Such a cunning snake.

I snapped open my eyes and watched the serpent. I was safe until I stopped playing my instrument. We had a few hours yet.

* * *

"Where are we headed next?" I asked the sandy-blond. She was our navigator, so we usually followed her directions as we aimlessly traveled in search of an audience.

She smiled back at me, and she replied "Suna"

I smiled back at her. She was a gypsy along with the rest of us. She knew how to fight with fists, swords, and pretty much anything that could be converted into some sort of weapon. She could dance and play and instrument as well as any of us. But she had royal blood; she was the princess of Suna. Her brothers were furious when they heard her decision, but they let her join us, because she was their sister, and they were happy as long as she was happy. And as long as she stopped by for a visit at least once every year or two, for a minimum of one week. Luckily for us, she liked to stretch their patience thin, but she kept a tight travel schedule, so we were due in most towns at a certain date or season.

"Suna, huh?" I whispered into the air. Temari was already fast asleep in the hammock next to mine. The other three were at different places in the camp.

* * *

"Mornin' sunshine!" the platinum blond of the group yelled in my face happily.

"Loud-mouth" I mumbled, complying and rising out of the hammock anyway. I stretched in my normal manner; like a cat, in the whole back-arch. It was a habit picked up after spending so much time in the woods near animals and in animal minds.

"Want some slime?" the blond asked. It was our word for wood-wine. It sounds disgusting, but it's really good. It's made out of pine sap, maple sap, honey if we could find some, and assorted herbs, usually whatever we could find in a large amount the week before. So oftentimes we had no herbal things in our so-called 'slime'

"Please, Ino" I replied. She beamed, and set to work pouring some into our hand-made clay mugs.

I walked into the woods to do my morning rituals, like emptying my bladder and scrubbing my teeth with water in the nearest clean stream I could find, and returned to my saddlebags to grab some clothes from said bags.

After changing I grabbed the held-out 'slime' from Ino and drank it. Ooh, it was _really _good today. Someone had found some basil and honeycomb; it's definitely an odd combination, but good nonetheless.

We all had a (mostly) vegetarian diet, so we ate herbs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But occasionally Gaia, the Earth Goddess, would send one of us a mental image and a direction to go in to find our rare carnivorous meal to share around the fire. Usually it was animals near their death that she deems in too much pain to have a drawn-out death, so if we are near she asks us to end its misery. Though on the occasion she would send us a vision of a perfectly healthy animal that wishes to give itself up to the natural cycle of predator/prey relationship.

"So, Ino" I started, leaning back on the side of our roofed, wooden cart.

"Yeah?" she asked, leaning back on the opposite wall, chugging down her slime.

"Did you get any....images...from that snake last night?" I asked. I was nervous. Ino had a gift; she could glean the thoughts of animals and people, though only their foremost thoughts, not the innermost ones. Though it was still useful, as most did not know how to guard their minds.

"No, why?" she asked, giving me an odd look. I stared back at her blankly. Realization dawned on her, and her face clearly showed it. "You got in its mind again?" she asked. I nodded. That was my gift; to get inside animals' and humans' minds. I couldn't see their thoughts, as Ino can, but I can converse with them in their own heads, which often makes their thoughts and mind-speech blend together in fright. It was, at first, amusing, but I have not so far met anyone with the same gift, nor anyone who doesn't take advantage of the temporary link for their own use.

"What was it like?" she asked, her eyes narrowing. Normally this wouldn't bother me; I get into minds all the time. I just rarely tell them about it unless something was bothering me.

She saw me hesitate, and she laid a warm, comforting hand on my shoulder. "You can tell me anything, Sakura" she said, looking straight into my emerald eyes with her sky blue ones. I stared back, and my hesitation disappeared. "He asked for my Name" I told her.

She stared at me blankly. "So? What's wrong with that?" she asked. I shook my head in exasperation.

"No, Ino, you don't under_stand_. He asked for my _name_" I emphasized. Since she still looked blank, I added "my _true_ name"

Her eyes widened to the size of saucers. "Shit" she breathed. I nodded.

"It's becoming a problem. We were connected for about two minutes and he asked for my true name. It might just be him, but as courtesy and everything else, you just _don't _ask for _anybody's _true names, even if you're a king"

She nodded, and I could tell she was already deep in thought and wouldn't respond to anything anytime soon. With all the mind-reading she did, she gained an immense amount of wisdom, so our group always went to her for advice (though we had to separate her gossip-given advice, which normally wasn't reliable, from the mind-gleaned advice, which was truly helpful)

As the cart rolled on, I watched her. Her facial expressions changed rapidly, so one minute she would look sad and the next gleeful or frustrated. Normally it was rather funny, but on such a serious matter it wasn't.

I leaned back further on the wall and exhaled. The cart lurched to and fro on the old, beaten path through the woods. I closed my eyes, but it didn't help my queasy stomach. I think Hinata had the right idea; lay down in the hammocks inside the sleeping room while Temari and Tenten steer the horses. They would wake us up if need be.

* * *

He woke with a pounding head and battered pride. He had drunk to the point of a blackout yesterday and gotten into a fight with a woman, which he had sworn to never do if he was A) either inebriated or B) she couldn't defend herself. Last night both factors were in play.

He groaned and rolled over in the bed. The fight would be excused; the king was kind and warmhearted, not exactly what the kingdom needed. Wait. Let's rephrase that. What the kingdom didn't need was exactly what it got: a king that would release a murderer from an execution if he said sorry. The king was a pathetic, shriveled old man, way past his prime in both a physical and mental way. He looked like a feather caressing his skin would knock him over. Thank god that the man was his father, too.

He glanced over at his insomniac-of-a-brother. "Hey, Gaara!" he called from across the room. Said redhead glared at him.

"What do you want, Kankurou?" he asked/stated, his voice cold and emotionless like it always was in the mornings. Kankurou shrugged it off. Gaara never was a morning person and probably never would be.

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm missing Temari coming in and beating our faces in for not waking up earlier" he replied.

Gaara's heavily-lined jade eyes stared at him blankly, though there was a hint of amusement in them. "So you're telling me that the tiny part of your brain that isn't thinking of rum and beer, women, or sex is actually _smart _and is remembering that our sister is going to be arriving soon?"

Kankurou took a moment to process that. "Hey! That wasn't nice, Gaara!" he exclaimed. Gaara merely smirked in return.

* * *

**_THIS IS NOT A GAASAKU UNLESS YA'LL WANT IT TO BE._ It's a cute pairing, just not for me to write. Anyways, there's no definite pairing in this, not until the vote is over. But this is what I'm talking about when I said gypsy-style Sakura assassins-kings-and princes and knights fic. It'll turn out well, trust me. But.....this is what I meant. Tell me if you like it or don't, have suggestions, questions, or requests, and LEAVE IT IN A REVIEW. I'm sorry, I just LOVE those things! Click the green-lettered box, you KNOW you want to leave the authoress a nice, long review  
**


	2. Chapter 2

The carriage rolled into the town during the dead of night, the stars twinkling like diamonds in the sky, the crescent moon illuminating the city and casting harsh shadows on all that its light touched. The town was asleep; as quiet as a mouse. Only the wind was active, carrying sand in a small whirlwind down the empty streets.

Sakura sat against the wooden wall of the carriage, her head resting against the side. Her eyes were closed and she wore no makeup, as there was no audiences that they were entertaining. She listened to the rhythmic plod of the horses' hoof-beats, the gentle roll of the carriage, the breaths of her fellow gypsies, and the sloshing of the water in her mug.

She opened her eyes and sighed, her breath making a small cloud of misty white in the cold desert night. The pink-haired female got up and made her way over to her hammock to sit for a moment as they entered the city.

Temari was guiding the horses currently, and Hinata, Tenten, and Ino were all supposedly asleep. Sakura remained awake, kept up by her pounding headache that was worse when her eyes were closed. She laid down on the makeshift bed and tried to settle herself.

Tomorrow would be all hustle-and-bustle. Catch up with old friends, tell stories to children, restock on supplies. The day after would be a performance, then a day of talking to Temari's family, and then off they would be once more.

After ten minutes with no results, Sakura realized that trying to get to sleep was a moot point. She got out of her hammock and made her way to the room behind the driver's seat, grabbing a few herbs that would put her to sleep. She never liked resorting to herbs for this kind of thing, but she needed some semblance of rest for the day ahead.

After grinding the herbs in a mortar and pestle, she put the powder into her drink and mixed it into a solution before drinking it and walking to lie back on her hammock and wait for the herbs to work their magic.

* * *

Temari was the former princess of Suna, the eldest of three children. She had never liked being royalty. Never liked the privileges that came with it, the awe in the citizens' eyes as she walked the streets, trying to live a remotely 'normal' life. Once reaching the age of eighteen and dreading the fact that in two years she'd be twenty and take over the kingdom from her father as queen, she had joined the gypsy wagon of four girls from Konoha, a city in the middle of a large forest, though it was a port-town as well, since a wide river flowed right through it. Konoha was the trading capital of the continent. Anyways, Temari joined up with them, and after writing a long letter to her brothers and a much shorter one to her father, she delivered them during the night and was gone by dawn the next morning. Three years had passed since then and she was now twenty-one and still with the Konoha girls. She visited her blood-family every few months, if only to appease her (secretly) anxious brothers and her less-than-caring-or-remembering-about-her father. She didn't really care for him.

She guided the two horses through the city's gates, keeping her hood drawn so that the guards would not recognize her. She was famous in the city, if not for her royalty, it was for being the well-known 'Wayward Princess'

Temari smiled as Hinata, sweet, placid, and caring Hinata, sat beside her on the seat, offering a silent comfort. Hinata was excellent at sensing emotions for some odd reason, and despite the fact that Temari was doing the best to hide it, the sandy blond's nerves were on end, making her twitchy and jumpy, gut-wrenchingly nervous to the point of breaking out in a cold sweat.

Hinata laid a small, pale hand on Temari's shoulder and Temari relaxed, if only slightly.

They heard someone, presumably Sakura or Ino, the ones of their group who could never sleep well, messing with the ingredients in the cupboard. Their sensitive, keen, trained ears picked up the soft pounding and grinding of the mortar and pestle.

They had reached the field on the outskirts of town reserved solely for traveling caravans. She parked the carriage and sighed, looking at Hinata, whose odd silvery-purple eyes glowed, glinting oddly as they captured slivers of moonlight. "Do you mind keeping watch?" she asked as she yawned. She wouldn't let anyone else drive, since she would be too antsy to sleep anyways.

With a soft smile, Hinata nodded and wordlessly handed Temari a mug of slime that she had been nursing. Temari nodded her thanks and left hinata to keep watch and tie up the horses for the rest of the night.

* * *

Hinata, the pale, dark-haired, quiet beauty of the group hopped off the driver's seat and landed on the sandy earth, a small cloud of dust puffing up from the sand. The indigo-haired female walked towards the heads of the the four horses (and the donkey) who pulled their caravan. There was a palomino mare names Sand, whom was Temari's horse and had the muscles and short fur of a desert horse. She had a slender head and long neck, as well as mile-long legs. A chestnut stallion, Nutmeg, Tenten's horse, was four years old and at the back of the group, carrying the least weight of the four. Ino's cream-and-white paint mare, Thistle, was Nutmeg's mother. And the last horse of the four was another mare, Sakura's horse, Flame, who was a fiery russet color.

The donkey was Hinata's equine of choice, since she preferred walking as opposed to riding. Her donkey, Chico, was willing to carry her when the need arose and he loved trying to keep up with his larger equine friends, but he was mostly used to carry things when they had to walk instead of use the wagon.

After Hinata had taken all of the ropes off the horses that attached them to the wagon to pull it, she put on their halters and the ropes that attached them to the wagon. They were long and were only there to ensure that the horses were not stolen and did not wander to far. She honestly hated tying them up, as they were creatures of Mother Earth and deserved being as free as she, herself was, but she understood the necessity of keeping them.

Once she was done, she plopped down in the field as the horses grazed near her and Chico nudged her impatiently. She ignored him as she mentally connected constellations and made up new ones. She didn't _mean _to ignore him; she just didn't register his presence so near to her. It took him ruffling her hair into a mess that was impossible for a human being to create and him knocking her into the grass for her to recognize that he was there. To make it up to him, she took his head and scratched his cheekbones and rubbed his head and scratched his neck.

She sighed. Tomorrow would be long, and the five of them would be impossibly busy. But until then, until they were going crazy from the goings-on, she would sit here in this little field of short grass, amongst the grazing horses and one attention-starved donkey and watch the stars and just relax, since she would not be able to the next day.

* * *

**Here's an update! I know, I know. Anyone that knows me well knows that I despise excuses, but.....that's all that I can give as to why I haven't updated. Really, it was just lack of inspiration. I always lose interest in a fic when it has a slow beginning. I like getting right to the action. Anyways!**

**An update on the Pairing Poll?**

**NaruSaku, KimiSaku, and KibaSaku have no votes.**

**NejiSaku, SuiSaku, KakaSaku, KakuSaku, AkaSaku, and ShikaSaku have all gotten 1 vote.  
**

**JuuSaku and ZetsuSaku have both gotten 2 votes.**

**SasoSaku has gotten 3 votes.**

**SasuSaku and GaaSaku have gotten 4 votes.**

**ItaSaku and MadaSaku have both gotten 5 votes.**

**PeinSaku has gotten 6 votes.**

**DeiSaku has gotten 7 votes, while HidaSaku has gotten 9.**

**I'm counting the voting on my profile, since voting in reviews are confusing the hell outta me -_-**

**ANYWAYS. (still luffles you guys!) 30 people have voted on my profile. I have had 5 reviews. Do I feel loved?**

**....**

**Not really. But oh well. :D**

**Love all who have read, reviewed, favorited, alerted, and voted on this story!  
**


	3. Chapter 3

Dawn broke over the city of Sunagakure like flames consuming a building made of dry wood. Dawns and dusks in the desert were always something to wonder at; the sheer amount of color bursting upon the normally bleak surroundings was utterly astounding. The sun lit up a fiery red and just about consumed the sky, the clouds holding a vibrant orange hue, the air around them glowing with a soft yellow light that seemed to be sent from the heavens themselves. The display brought color to the desert, no longer a boring beige but sand dunes and cacti seemingly on fire filled your vision as far as the eye could see in any direction.

It was Ino's favorite time of day; dawn was when everything awoke, when the trees stretched their branches, when the baby birds chirped the loudest, when the nocturnal animals drifted back into their homes, when one world was waking up and another was entering slumber.

The blond smiled at her wistful-sounding thoughts. She was the first up, always; well, most of the time. Currently she was sitting on the rear ledge of the wagon that was open. Her legs dangled off of the protrusion, and her eyes closed, enjoying the gentle desert breeze that rustled her long, soft blond hair. The wind brought smells of crisp air to her nostrils; the scent of harsh, barren land mixed with the smell of awakening civilization.

After a few moments just enjoying the feel of the morning, she slowly got up and brushed stray bits of sand carried by the wind off of her pajamas, made of almost see-through silk meant for belly dancers, made in this city that they currently occupied. Made by a handsome vendor, with dark hair and striking looks, actually.

Smiling at that thought, she entered the sleeping chamber of their wagon and rummaged through her chest of items beneath her hammock. After perusing some items critically, concluding that she _really _needed to invest in new fashions, especially the light kind made in Suna, she decided _not _to wear her purple blouse and matching skirt, both shaped in the gentle curves and designs of the lotus flower, and decided on the more angular mini-corset, which only covered (and supported) her breasts, and the accompanying skirt of deep cerulean cotton, made by the finest artisans in Iwagakure.

Taking her clothes and wrapping them in a simple bag made of cow hide, she gracefully, though swiftly, made her way over to the spring reserved for the traveling parties and caravans. Hoping that no one else decided to take an early bath, Ino quickly stripped of her pajamas and entered the soothing warmth of the water, gently easing away her worried about the days to come.

Stretching in the elegant arch of a cat, the brunette of the group, Tenten, worked out the kinks in her back from her night of sleeping on the hard wooden floor of the wagon (since she managed to fall out early on during the night, apparently).

* * *

Slowly gaining awareness of her surroundings, she blinked to erase some of the bleariness from her eyes. Seeing as how everyone else was asleep and Ino gone off somewhere, it was her responsibility to make breakfast. Deciding to be lazy, she rummaged around in their supply bags and managed to find dried strips of jerky, a few herbs for flavor, and potatoes.

Grabbing firewood on the way out, she found the firepit near their wagon and lit the logs on fire with the nifty wheedle-the-sticks trick. Once a nice blaze was going, Tenten stuck the potatoes on a long spear and cooked them above the lapping flames, turning them ever-so-slowly.

Apparently breakfast roused her wagon-mates, and soon Hinata and Sakura were sitting around the fire, close to its heat, as winter was approaching, and even the blazing desert air was becoming chillier. Tenten smiled at them and handed them a strip of jerky each to nibble on. Sakura, she could tell, would be half-asleep for awhile, but Hinata soon set out making slime as a beverage to go with breakfast.

Once everyone was back, and Ino back from the springs, her wagon-mates ate breakfast while Tenten scarfed down her potato and jerky as fast as she could, ditching her friends to scout the area.

She smiled to herself as she walked along the quiet roads of Suna, as it was far too early in the morning for children and customers to be out and about, though merchants were busy setting up shop.

On her walk, she saw the city coming to life. She saw mothers yelling at their children to wake up, fathers heading off to work, children doing their morning chores and complaining about waking up so early. Tenten remembered when she was a child; she remembered her mother's round, kind face; her chocolate hair with her gleaming blue eyes much like Ino. Tenten's father was strong and broad-muscled; he had flaming red hair much like Temari's brother Gaara's hair, though Tenten's father had dark, dark blue eyes that were almost obsidian. He carried a broadsword and was one of the ten warriors that protected their caravan when not selling merchandise. That was, before...

Feeling herself tear up a bit from her thoughts (though she told herself it was the dust and sand from the desert), she discreetly wiped her eyes and shook her head, clearing such thoughts from her mind. She began to ponder their next destination after the large desert town they were in...which made her think when she would see Temari's brothers. Gaara was kinda cute, amusing with his ry humor and cool exterior, but Tenten had a tiny crush on Kankuro, mostly because Kankuro was so outgoing, like Tenten herself was.

Her mostly aimless wandering was, in fact, in a specific direction, namely east, as she needed to drop by the apothecary shop and restock their herbal supply, as that was her job. Since she had grown up in the forests alongside her parents and the merchant caravan they traveled with, she of their group had the most experience with haggling for merchandise, so it was up to her to get their supplies, aside from the food and clothing, which was Temari's job (and occasionally Ino's), as she was downright scary when she needed to be, useful in 'bartering' with merchants to get their vegetables and hides and cloths for them to wear.

Her mind came down from its wandering high as she slammed face-first into a wooden door. Shaking her head to clear off the haze, she reached for the knob and swung open said door. A blast of herbal scents like rosemary and mint overwhelmed her senses, as well as the musky scents of incense. She smiled. This was where she belonged.

Entering the dark store, she closed the door behind her. Time to get to business.

* * *

**Don't hate me! Please! I KNOW it's been FOREVER since I updates, but life is hard. People die. I feel depressed. Boy-toys aren't helping anymore. Le sigh. Reviews, nice and long, make me write faster :D**

**TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE!!! I know what's gonna happen in here, but I like requested scenes inserted. Whatever it is, TELL ME!!! I like challenges. **

**Oh. Pairing update:**

**PeinSaku (12), HidaSaku (9), DeiSaku(8), ItaSaku-SasuSaku-MadaSaku (6), GaaSaku-NejiSaku (4), SasoSaku (3), etc…**


	4. Chapter 4

Sakura slipped on her "dress-up" clothes- or at least the ones for Suna. This consisted of a puffy off-white tunic covered by a black leather corset, pushing her small breasts up, making them appear larger. Yes, she was still jealous that all of her friends had larger breasts than she- it was a sore subject for the poor rosette. Layering up with a snowy-white skirt covered by a black shorter one and a stylishly ripped crimson skirt topping it off, she slipped into her black leather boots with the large brass buttons hand-carved with various animals on each button. She had Tenten to thank for that; the brunette had an uncanny ability with sharp objects and could carve and shape just about anything, given the right tools.

Looking at her reflection in the long looking-class in their caravan, she decided against the boots and took them off, opting for bare feet. She strapped copper bells painted gold, held on by a simple leather cord, onto her ankles and wrists. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror, amused at her vanity. Deciding that since they were visiting 'royalty', she shouldn't have her hair as messed up as it currently was, she borrowed Ino's carved (thanks to Tenten, again) jeweled buck-antler comb and ran it through her hair, wincing as it caught. After carefully working her hair into a fine, shining pink mass, she deftly braided it into a simple, slightly messy French braid.

Gathering her skirts in her hands, she hopped from the caravan and trotted out of the gypsy caravan grounds and towards the inner part of the city, smiling all the while. Noticing when Ino, dressed in the light blue shimmery belly-dancer clothes sold primarily in Suna, Sakura grinned and held out her arm, giggling when Ino linked her arm with hers. She loved the euphoric feeling she got like this whenever in a city.

"Ah, Gypsy Ino, how _long _since I've seen your delightful face on these harsh Suna streets!" she joked, her jade eyes dancing with merriment.

Ino's own cerulean orbs lit up as she decided to play along. "Why, Lady Sakura, I have missed you too!" she exclaimed, randomly throwing in a hug.

They simultaneously burst into a fit of giggles, much like they used to when they were younger, when it was just the two of them, before the other three were added to the group.

Gradually making their way to the large arena that was the final destination, they made commentary on their surroundings.

"Oh, look, Pig, they're selling ivory pipes now!"

"Psh, Forehead, that's not _nearly _as exciting as that new jewelry stand"

Suddenly the crowding, poorer district of Suna, with its cramped buildings all stuffed together tight, cleared, and the playing field was in plain sight. The bright flags of such an arena rippled in the varying shades of the spectrum of color, some decorated with crests of royalty. Seeing as how the tournament had not started yet, they grinned at each other and chose a stand without any musicians in front of it. Ino readied herself to dance, and Sakura retrieved a flute that had been hidden within her skirts and began to play, the two being joined by Hinata and Tenten a few minutes later, the two having escorted Temari to the royalty's grandstand, much to the blond's chagrin.

Once the trumpets had been blown, the four of them quickly sprinted to a stand next to royalty, reserved for beloved servants or lesser royalty that Temari, Gaara, and Kankuro had kept for them. They waved at Temari who glared at them for abandoning her. it would certainly be an entertaining joust, seeing that her two brothers would both be participating this year.

* * *

The herald, Yuu, was stationed in the center of the field, perched upon an old flea-bitten cob who was much too fat, a stark contrast with the unnatural thinness of his rider. "Lords and ladies, it is my pleasure to bring you the Seventh Annual Sunagakure Jousting Tournament, where knights travel from all over the world to bring you the most manly form of entertainment there is!" he shouted, immediately being met with a roar from the crowd.

"The rules are clear: in the first round, knock the opposing knight off of his horse. This will continue until half of the contestants remain. In the second round, being on horseback is not required;do whatever you must to win, though no maiming of the opponent" he said, turning to the twelve assembled knights, eying one in particular, a man in green-trimmed armor atop a palomino. "Weapons are permitted. May good fortune shine upon you. Good luck" he said to all of them before turning back to the crowds. "With your permission, milord, I would like to announce the first contestants"

With a nod of assent from the frail king, Yuu continued, his scalp shining with sweat caused by the shimmering Sunagakure sun. "First up are the Green Knight and the Orange Knight" he said, nodding two the two knights to take positions. Rising the cob out of the middle of the field, Yuu held the horse tightly beneath the royalty's stand, where Sakura got a good view of his oily black hair.

The two knights, the one with green-trimmed armor and one with orange trim, took their place on opposing sides of the field and then charged at one another, their lances expertly aimed. No one breathed for a moment in anticipation, awaiting the impact. There was a sickening crunch, and the Orange Knight was knocked off of his large chestnut steed, clutching his chest, where the splintered-off end of the Green Knight's lance had penetrated the armor, thought thankfully not getting past the chainmail beneath the standard armor.

Slowly each knight took his place on the field, until there were only six knights left on their steeds.

Yuu had announced the second stage, and everyone was not really that into the testosterone-driven men until the last two knights remained, surprisingly enough not the Green Knight amongst them. He had been viciously brought down by the Red Knight, one of the last two. The other was the Blue Knight. The two faced off, their lances held at ready. Then, as one, they moved, and surged forward towards each other, the lanced meeting head-on, both splintering in half, the force interestingly enough knocking both knights sideways off of their horses in much the same fashion. (An undignified heap). The Blue Knight was up first, striding over to the smaller of the two, who was still struggling to get up.

Or so it seemed, before the Blue Knight stood before the Red. Suddenly the Red Knight struck out with a quick kick, bringing the Blue Knight down with him. The two wrestled before they wrenched the helmets off of each other, the dust the two of them stirring up blocking out the crowd's view.

After minutes of the sound of metal clashing and grunting and bits of metal flying out of the fray, one stood, apparently the victor.

Though his armor was now coated with grit, the knight raised his head in an arrogant, dignified way, his shocking red hair darkened but not discolored.

The crowd waited a moment before bursting into a loud cheer, whoops and hollers and screams amongst the clapping and stamping of feet for the victorious knight.

Yuu rode into the arena, jumping off of his obese horse and raising the knight's arm into the air. "I present the victor of the Seventh Annual Sunagakure Jousting Tournament, the Red Knight, Lord Gaara no Sabaku!" he shouted, causing the crowd to cheer evermore.

A short time later, as the knights stripped off their armor and scrubbed all of the grit off of their bodies, some doing it themselves, some employing servants to do so, the previous Red Knight and Blue Knight clasped arms, grinning at each other, though the redhead less so. Despite the fact that Red was the winner, there were no grudges held. Off of the field, they were brothers once more.

* * *

**Sorry for the slow update, guys. I really am. I know this chapter is crap, too, but I just can't seem to get into the swing of writing. I guess the Remembrance Trilogy is taking up most of my concentration. I think you guys will like it once it's finally edited and done and published...in a few years. Reviews, please. Tell me what you want to see, people!**

**The list:**

**PeinSaku (13), HidaSaku (11), DeiSaku (8), ItaSaku-MadaSaku-SasuSaku (6), GaaSaku-NejiSaku (5), SasoSaku-ShikaSaku (3), ZetsuSaku-JuuSaku (2), SuiSaku-KakaSaku-KakuSaku (1)**

**Remember, only the votes on the poll in my profile count. I'm not counting ones in reviews :(  
**


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